The present disclosure relates generally to controlling operation of a wind turbine, and more specifically, to monitoring wear of a brake system included within the wind turbine.
Wind turbine generators utilize wind energy to produce electrical power. Wind turbine generators typically include a rotor having multiple blades that transform wind energy into rotational motion of a drive shaft, which in turn is utilized to drive an electrical generator to produce electrical power. Each of the multiple blades may be pitched to increase or decrease the rotational speed of the rotor. A power output of a wind turbine generator increases with wind speed until the wind speed reaches a rated wind speed for the turbine. At and above the rated wind speed, the wind turbine generator operates at a rated power. The rated power is an output power at which a wind turbine generator can operate with a predetermined acceptable level of fatigue to turbine components. At wind speeds higher than a certain speed, or at a wind turbulence level that exceeds a predetermined magnitude, typically referred to as a “trip limit” or “monitor set point limit,” wind turbines may be shut down, or the loads may be reduced by regulating the pitch of the blades or braking the rotor, in order to protect wind turbine components against damage.
Typically, wind turbine generators include braking devices, for example, a braking device to slow or stop rotation of the rotor and a braking device to hold variable pitch rotor blades in a set position. Each of these braking devices is a wear item and data concerning a state of wear of the braking devices would be beneficial for planning and/or performing maintenance on the wind turbine.